Tag: Complete Streets Federal

The Complete Streets provision included in the Senate transportation bill has been struck from the final bill during the conference process. The provision, Safety for Motorized and Non-Motorized Users, received bi-partisan support in the Senate and is based on a marker bill that received bi-partisan support in the House.

A new poll released by America Bikes yesterday is a telling indicator that Americans support Complete Streets — over 80% of respondents, in communities large and small, would like to see federal funding for bicycling and walking maintained or increased. These findings are consistent with other state and local polls that have shown American citizens want streets that work for everyone.

The Senate’s bi-partisan surface transportation authorization bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), makes significant progress in ensuring the safety of users of the transportation system. The Coalition urges the House to follow by passing their own bi-partisan bill.

A Complete Streets approach recognizes that an individual may bike, walk, drive, and take transit all in the same day and aims to create a transportation system that helps her travel safely by any mode she chooses. Unfortunately, the House transportation bill devotes all its funding to highway projects. The Senate bill presents a more complete vision, but still needs to be fixed to better provide for those on foot or on bicycles.

With no Complete Streets provision, the just-released House Transportation bill ignores millions of Americans nationwide who want their transportation system to provide safe and convenient choices, such as walking, riding a bike, and catching a bus or train. This failure is in stark contrast to the bipartisan Complete Streets measure included in the Senate’s version of the bill.

In a major step forward for Complete Streets, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed a federal transportation authorization bill that includes a measure for the safe accommodation of all users in federally-funded street projects.

On Wednesday, a U.S. Senate committee will vote on a Complete Streets amendment to the proposed federal transportation authorization bill. This is the first time in over six years that our federal representatives will vote on Complete Streets language — and it’s timely, given the recent statistics on roadway safety.

The U.S. Senate appears ready to start talking about a long-term federal transportation authorization bill, and we’re ready to see how well it will promote safety for everyone, regardless of age, ability, or how they choose to travel.